Belt and bottle mounting system for a belt

ABSTRACT

A belt including a belt portion, a bottle connector integrated into the belt portion, the bottle connector defining a receiving opening, and a bottle including a bottle hook, wherein the bottle hook is configured to be inserted into the receiving opening of the bottle connector, thereby mounting the bottle on the belt. A bottle mounting system for a belt includes a bottle having a spout and a removable cap, a hook configured to be disposed over the bottle spout and retained on the bottle by the removable cap, and a connector integrated into a belt to define a receiving opening for the hook.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure herein is directed to a belt and a bottle mounting systemfor a belt, and more particularly to a sports belt having a mountingsystem for a hydration bottle.

BACKGROUND

Hydration systems have been proposed in the prior art for freeingrunners during extended runs from dehydration worries. Such systemsinclude belts designed to be worn about the waist or arm and which areprovided with a pocket or pockets for holding cans or bottles of liquid.

A disadvantage with the prior art hydration system belts is thecumbersome mounting of the cans or bottles, and the lack of an ergonomicfit for running or other physical activities.

Accordingly, there is a need for a belt that overcomes these and otherdisadvantages by providing an ergonomic bottle mounting system for abelt that is suitable for use during physical activities.

SUMMARY

The disclosure herein is directed to a belt comprising a belt portion; abottle connector integrated into said belt portion, said bottleconnector defining a receiving opening; and a bottle including a bottlehook; wherein said bottle hook is configured to be inserted into saidreceiving opening of said bottle connector, thereby mounting said bottleon said belt.

A further aspect of the disclosure is directed to a bottle mountingsystem for a belt, said mounting system comprising a bottle having aspout and a removable cap; a hook configured to be disposed over thebottle spout and retained on the bottle by the removable cap; and aconnector integrated into a belt to define a receiving opening for thehook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a rear view of a bottle and clip assembly accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a mounting assembly for the bottle shown in FIG. 1according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a belt including the mounting assembly shown in FIG.2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the bottle and clip assemblyaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the bottle and clip assembly accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bottle shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates the bottle and clip assembly being secured to themounting assembly on a belt.

FIG. 8 illustrates the bottle and clip assembly when secured to themounting assembly on a belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A belt according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure herein isshown generally by reference numeral 18 in FIG. 3. The belt 18 ispreferably a waist belt incorporating a bottle mounting system includinga bottle 10 and a bottle hook 14 as shown in FIG. 1 and a bottle clip orconnector 16 as shown in FIG. 2. The bottle connector 16 is integratedor otherwise secured into the waist belt 18 such that the bottle 10 caneasily be connected or removed therefrom, as shown best in FIGS. 7 and8.

The bottle 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure isa hydration bottle suitable for use during running or other physicalactivity due to its lightweight and easy open mouthpiece 20. Stillfurther, the bottle 10 includes ergonomic contours in the verticaldirection to follow the natural curvature of a wearer's lower back. Asshown in FIG. 6, the bottle 10 has a preferred ergonomic spout angle θ₁in the range of approximately 15.0°-18.0°, and most preferably a spoutangle θ₁ of 17.88°. In addition, the bottle 10 has a preferred ergonomicback angle θ₂ in the range of 3.0°-4.5°, and most preferably a backangle θ₂ of 3.69°. The back angle is the angle of the rear surface ofthe bottle 10.

A bottle hook 14 is provided on the rear surface of the bottle 10 toprovide a mounting mechanism for connection of the bottle 10 to thebottle connector 16 on the belt 18. The bottle hook 14 includes acentral through opening (not shown), preferably circular, that allows itto be placed over the spout 22 of the bottle when the removable cap 12is removed. When the cap 12 is replaced onto the threaded spout 22, thebottle hook 14 is thus held in place. The bottle hook 14 includes“shoulders” 24 form-fitting to the bottle 10, and preferably disposed onthe front and rear, so as to reduce the likelihood that it will rotateon the bottle 10. The bottle hook 14 has a tapered shape from theshoulders 24 to the terminal end 28 which allows it to easily beinserted into connector 16 and moved down such that the connector 16fully engages the hook 14. Further, the bottle hook 14 includes a rearsurface 26 that is also ergonomically contoured and in line with(parallel to) the angle of the rear surface of the bottle 10 to followthe natural curvature of a wearer's lower back, as illustrated in FIG.5.

The bottle connector 16 includes opposing side flange portions 30 viawhich the connector 16 is integrated into the waist belt 18. Theconnector 16 further includes a protruding central portion 32 spacedfrom a surface of the belt 18 which defines an opening for receiving thebottle hook 14. The central portion 32 is also tapered from the topopening to the bottom opening in order to easily receive the bottle hook14 therein and fully engage the bottle hook 14 when it is seatedtherein.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the hydration bottle 10 with the hook 14attachment is positionable in an upright orientation in the bottle clipor connector 16, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 7, and the connector 16locates the bottle 10 with the hook 14 in the correct ergonomic positionfor running or walking. More particularly, the preferred location of thebottle 10 is approximately in alignment with the kidneys, sittingbetween the back and gluteus muscles of the wearer.

The detailed description above describes a belt and a bottle mountingsystem disclosed by way of example. The disclosure is not limited,however, to the precise embodiment and variations described. Variouschanges, modifications and equivalents can be effected by one skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the accompanying claims. It is expressly intended that allsuch changes, modifications and equivalents which fall within the scopeof the claims are embraced by the claims.

1. A belt comprising: a belt portion; a bottle connector integrated intosaid belt portion, said bottle connector defining a receiving opening; abottle having a projecting spout; a bottle hook attached to the bottle;wherein said bottle hook is configured to be inserted into saidreceiving opening of said bottle connector, thereby mounting said bottleon said belt in an upright orientation.
 2. The belt according to claim1, wherein the bottle hook includes a central opening configured to bedisposed over the projecting spout.
 3. The belt according to claim 2,wherein the bottle further includes a removable cap disposed over theprojecting spout, the bottle hook being secured to the bottle by theremovable cap.
 4. The belt according to claim 3, wherein the projectingspout includes a screw thread and the removable cap is threadedlyengaged over the projecting spout.
 5. The belt according to claim 1,wherein the bottle hook is disposed on a rear surface of the bottle. 6.The belt according to claim 5, wherein the bottle has an ergonomicallycontoured shape, the bottle hook configured to follow the ergonomicallycontoured shape of the bottle.
 7. The belt according to claim 5, whereinthe bottle hook tapers downwardly from a top of the bottle hook to abottom of the bottle hook.
 8. The belt according to claim 1, wherein thebottle connector includes opposing side flange portions configured tointegrate the bottle connector into said belt portion.
 9. The beltaccording to claim 1, wherein the bottle connector further includes aprotruding central portion spaced from a surface of the belt to therebydefine the receiving opening for the bottle hook.
 10. The belt accordingto claim 9, wherein the protruding central portion is tapered from anupper surface to a lower surface such that the receiving opening for thebottle hook is also tapered from an upper opening portion to a loweropening portion.
 11. A bottle mounting system for a belt, said mountingsystem comprising: a bottle having a spout and a removable cap; a hookconfigured to be disposed over the bottle spout and retained on thebottle by the removable cap; and a connector integrated into a belt todefine a receiving opening for the hook.
 12. The bottle mounting systemaccording to claim 11, wherein the hook includes a central openingconfigured to be disposed over the bottle spout.
 13. The bottle mountingsystem according to claim 12, wherein the bottle spout includes a screwthread and the removable cap is threadedly engaged over the bottlespout.
 14. The bottle mounting system according to claim 11, wherein thehook is disposed on a rear surface of the bottle.
 15. The bottlemounting system according to claim 14, wherein the bottle has anergonomically contoured shape, the hook configured to follow theergonomically contoured shape of the bottle.
 16. The bottle mountingsystem according to claim 15, wherein the hook tapers downwardly from atop of the hook to a bottom of the hook.
 17. The bottle mounting systemaccording to claim 11, wherein the connector includes opposing sideflange portions configured to integrate the connector into a belt. 18.The bottle mounting system according to claim 17, wherein the connectorfurther includes a central portion configured to be spaced from asurface of the belt to thereby define the receiving opening for thehook.
 19. The bottle mounting system according to claim 18, wherein thecentral portion is tapered from an upper surface to a lower surface suchthat the receiving opening for the hook is also tapered from an upperopening portion to a lower opening portion.
 20. The bottle mountingsystem according to claim 11, wherein the bottle 10 has a spout angle inthe range of approximately 15.0°-18.0° and back angle in the range of3.0°-4.5°.